A teenager drove a stolen motorbike through a Chelmsford park before going the wrong way round a roundabout during a police chase.

George Allen, 18, was spotted drove the bike in Admirals Park in February 2017, before leading police through Writtle and High Ongar and eventually coming to a stop.

He appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court today (Monday, March 12) for sentencing.

On Sunday, January 22, 2017, a motorcycle was reported as missing from a driveway in Chelmsford.

The bike, which was taken by Allen, was then spotted on CCTV footage on February 27 of that year pulling into the forecourt of a Tesco petrol station where the defendant fuelled the vehicle and made off without paying.

The following day at around 1pm, two males - including the defendant - were reported by members of the public to be riding the bikes in Admirals Park.

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They were followed by police through Writtle and High Ongar before they were brought to a stop in Chipping Hill Ongar after they had driven round a roundabout the wrong way.

The court heard how Allen was on bail for similar offences of aggravated vehicle taking which he was due to be sentenced for on March 3 of the same year.

Emma Davenport, who had represented Allen on that occasion and mitigated again in his latest court apperance, told the court how his relationship with his family was one of the root causes behind his offending and that he had a tendency to be led astray by older individuals.

She said: "Mr Allen spent a time sofa surfing and was effectively homeless.

"He is a young man who is not without promise - he has ambitions and wants to work and get qualifications.

"He is now back at home."

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After Judge Jonathan Seely questioned how Allen had suddenly come to realise the error of his ways and "find the road to Damascus", Ms Davenport explained: "He realised his driving was dangerous at the time and was told by police how dangerous it was.

"It was a shock for him when he realised it would go to Crown Court and it was then when he realised the severity of his actions.

"He does now see that rules are there to be followed and that there are consequences if they are not followed."

Allen was given a total of eight months behind bars, suspended for two years.

Judge Seely

Passing sentence, Judge Seely said: “You are a criminal – whether you choose to remain a criminal is a matter for you.

“In our country when a young person commits a crfime they are rightly dealt with compassion and understanding and attempts are made to rehabilitate them.

“You are now 18 and you find yourself in a different type of court.

“You need to learn very quickly that things are very different than youth courts.

“This was a bad offence of dangerous driving.

“This was selfish and irresponsible – you gave no thought to the people in the park who would have seen you nor the gentleman whose bike you stole.

“You were on bail for a similar offence at the time.

“You are still very young and you shall be given full credit for your early guilty plea.

“This does pass the custody threshold but everyone deserves a chance and I am going to give you that chance.

“I will suspend the sentence for two years.”

Judge Seely also issued a warning to Allen that he could face the prospect of prison if he commits a further offence, and said: “I am going to reserve any breach of this sentence to myself so you will come back before me.”